Cover image courtesy of Royal Ascot
There were 22 stakes races across the five-day Royal Ascot carnival, split across a representation of 15 individual stallions, underlining both the depth and diversity of the stallions that performed during the week.
From proven sires to emerging influences, the meeting once again highlighted the importance of pedigree at the elite level, with several stallions stamping their authority across multiple races and divisions.
Night Of Thunder the king of the week with three Group 1 winners
The Royal Ascot meeting began with a bumper card on Tuesday, and it was the high-class Darley stallion Night Of Thunder (Ire) who made an immediate impact, siring a Tuesday double.
Standing at Darley Stud’s Kildangan base in Kildare in Ireland at a service fee of €200,000 (AU$327,200), Night Of Thunder made a flying start when the Ed Walker-trained Ten Bob Tony (Ire) caused a 50-1 upset in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes in the hands of Kieran Shoemark, More Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) completed a quinella for the sire, while Zeus Olympios (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) finished fourth, giving Night Of Thunder three of the first four home in a remarkable result.
The race also underlined the growing influence of Dubawi (Ire) through his sire sons, with Night Of Thunder dominating the finish and Ghaiyyath (Ire) represented by the tough third placegetter Opera Ballo (Ire).
Night Of Thunder (Ire) | Standing at Darley Stud, Ireland
The day improved further when the G1 2000 Guineas winner Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) delivered in the prestigious G1 St James’s Palace Stakes for trainer George Boughey and jockey Billy Loughnane.
While not a stakes winner, Lost Boys (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) was also an impressive winner of the Golden Gates Stakes, despite racing keenly throughout under James McDonald.
Night Of Thunder looms as a major chance to secure a second consecutive British Champion Stallion title this season.
Arguably his standout performer of the week came on Wednesday, when Godolphin’s Ombudsman (Ire) stormed to victory in the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes, defeating the 2025 G1 Prix d’le Arc De Triomphe quinella of Daryz (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Minnie Hauk (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in dominant fashion.
No Nay Never starts with a bang and continues on
The Coolmore Stud-based No Nay Never (USA), now the sire of 80 stakes winners including 11 at Group 1 level, also produced a Day 1 double.
No Nay Never (USA) | Standing at Coolmore, USA
The Aidan O’Brien-trained 3-year-old Mission Central (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) proved too strong for his elders in the G1 King Charles III Stakes, following on from Great Barrier Reef’s G2 Coventry Stakes success to complete a quickfire double for both sire and trainer.
No Nay Never added to his tally on Friday when his 2-year-old filly Libertango (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) swooped late to defeat Ballydoyle’s hot favourite Sun Goddess (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}) in the G3 Albany Stakes, giving trainer George Boughey and jockey Billy Loughnane another feature success.
No Nay Never has now produced seven 2-year-old winners at Royal Ascot and, notably this year, also a 3-year-old winner at the elite level to go with his sharp youngsters.
A day for the stars on Friday
Friday proved a memorable day for stallions carrying the “Star” moniker, with both Starspangledbanner and Starman (GB) securing Group 1 success.
Their respective 3-year-old fillies, Venetian Sun (Ire) (Starman {GB}) and Precise (Ire) (Starspangledbanner), added further elite-level victories to already impressive records.
Venetian Sun, ridden by Clifford Lee, narrowly but impressively claimed the G1 Commonwealth Cup from the Starspangledbanner filly Spicy Marg (GB).
Precise delivered Aidan O’Brien another G1 Coronation Stakes, continuing her outstanding form at the highest level with what was her fourth elite victory.
Starspangledbanner’s Gstaad (Ire) also ran a strong second in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes on the opening day.
Both of the Group 1-winning fillies look poised to add further Group 1 success this season.
Justify gets the big one and a quinella
Coolmore Stud’s Justify (USA) enjoyed a standout week, headlined by his star stayer Scandinavia (USA).
Justify (USA) | Standing at Coolmore, USA
Already a Group 1 winner in both the G1 Goodwood Cup and G1 St Leger, Scandinavia added a third at the highest level when taking out Thursday’s G1 Ascot Gold Cup for jockey Ryan Moore and trainer Aidan O’Brien, marking O’Brien’s 100th Royal Ascot winner.
It capped a remarkable week globally for Justify, who had seen Spicy Martini become his first Group 1 winner in Australia the previous weekend.
He also sired the quinella in the Listed Chesham Stakes on Thursday, with his sons Nola Soul (USA) and On Just Terms (USA) filling the first two placings. It was a rare and notable feat, highlighting his versatility - producing both an Ascot Gold Cup winner over 4000 metres and a 2-year-old quinella at Listed level.
St Mark’s Basilica doubles up
Coolmore Stud’s son of Siyouni (Fr) in St Mark's Basilica (Fr) enjoyed a timely and productive week ahead of his return to the Hunter Valley for another southern hemisphere season.
St Mark's Basilica (Fr) | Standing at Coolmore
His stakes winners included King Of Cloughan (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), who saluted at big odds in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes for trainer Joseph O’Brien.
Thesecretadversary (St Mark's Basilica) added further success in Saturday’s G3 Jersey Stakes, a race that unfolded entirely on the far side against the perceived bias, as the Cayton Park Stud and Susan Magnier homebred prevailed in a thrilling finish.
St Mark's Basilica also had South Dakota (Ire), who ran a brave fourth in the Listed Chesham Stakes. The stallion shuttles to Coolmore Australia again in 2026 where he will stand at a fee of $38,500 (inc GST).
Wootton Bassett also gets two stakes winners
The late Wootton Bassett (GB) was also represented by two stakes winners during the carnival.
The late Wootton Bassett (GB) | Image courtesy of Coolmore
Causeway (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a close relation to Auguste Rodin (Ire), prevailed in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes for Aidan O’Brien, adding to his record that already included Group 3 and Listed success in Ireland.
Victorious (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), notably blind in one eye, produced a strong late burst to capture the G2 Queen Of Mary Stakes.
Wootton Bassett is now the sire of 88 stakes winners worldwide and continues to edge towards the significant milestone of 100.
Havana Grey again shines with his juveniles
Whitsbury Manor Stud’s Havana Grey (GB) continued his reputation as a prolific source of juvenile talent, producing another standout result on Saturday.
Havana Grey (GB) | Standing at Whitsbury Manor Stud, UK
Orthodox (GB) dominated the G2 Norfolk Stakes, a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win And You're In” qualifier for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, scoring by three and a half lengths.
In doing so, he defeated the Nigel Tinkler-trained 150-1 outsider El Floridita (GB) (Havana Grey), completing a quinella for the son of Teofilo (GB).
Havana Anna (GB) also added minor black type with a brave fourth in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, backing up her last-start Group 3 win at Naas.
No clear sire line standout in 2026
There was no clear standout sire line across the carnival, although the Dubawi (Ire) line again led the way.
Dubawi (Ire) | Standing at Dalham Hall Stud, UK
The Dalham Hall Stud resident continues to operate at the highest level at a fee of £350,000 (AU$660,000) and was represented by five individual stakes winners. His son Night Of Thunder led the charge with multiple winners, including two at Group 1 level, while Time Test (GB) and New Bay (GB) also supplied stakes winners.
The Storm Cat (USA) line via Scat Daddy (USA) line also produced five stakes winners, with his sons Justify and No Nay Never both enjoying particularly strong carnivals. Each recorded Group 1 success, with Scandinavia winning the G1 Ascot Gold Cup and Mission Central taking out the G1 King Charles III Stakes.
Interestingly, and in contrast to Australia, the Danehill (USA) sireline was responsible for just two stakes winners across the meeting.
The late Danehill (USA) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Starspangledbanner, a great-grandson of Danehill, sired the outstanding 3-year-old filly Precise, who captured the G1 Coronation Stakes over a mile, her fourth victory at Group 1 level.
Meanwhile, Mastercraftsman (Ire), a grandson of Danehill, sired the 7-year-old Giavellotto (Ire) to win the G2 Hardwicke Stakes over 2400 metres for trainer Marco Botti.
Both winners emerged through the Danehill Dancer (Ire) branch of the Danehill sireline.
